


'Til The Clouds Clear

by Synnerxx



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M, Major Illness, Mental Instability
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-13
Updated: 2011-10-13
Packaged: 2018-01-24 02:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1588502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synnerxx/pseuds/Synnerxx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Misha and Richard have always known their cats, Gabriel and Castiel, were unique. After all, Castiel has actual wings. Sure, he can't fly with them, but they're there nonetheless. What they don't know is that Gabriel knows when someone is going to die. When Richard gets sick, very sick, Gabriel is terrified that this is his punishment for leaving behind those who needed him when he got the chance. So he runs away and wanders the streets for a time until he meets Todd. Todd is very different from Misha and Richard and he wants to keep Gabriel. Will Misha and Richard ever see Gabriel again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	'Til The Clouds Clear

The sunshine is bright and warm as it pours in through the living room window. Castiel stretches, arching his back and twitching his tail, claws digging into the fabric of the couch. He yawns, sitting up and licking a paw daintily. His wings flutter slightly and he stretches again. Well, to be fair, he's a cat and so they're not really wings, but every vet he's ever been to courtesy of every owner he's ever had has said they're just abnormal skeleton growths. They can't remove them because they're attached to his spine, but they don't cause him any harm, so they're not really an issue.

He can't fly with them though he wishes he could. Every cat he's ever met has called him a freak for having them and they teased him cruelly. Gabriel isn't like the other cats though. He doesn't think Castiel is a freak like all the other cats. It's nice, Gabriel's nice. Speaking of Gabriel, where is the other cat? He's usually beside him when he's napping as they like to nap together.

He looks around for Gabriel, but he doesn't see the other cat anywhere in the living room. He jumps down from the couch and heads into the kitchen, pausing by their water and food bowls, taking a quick drink. A cool breeze drifts in from the open window above the sink, ruffling his fur.

His thirst now quenched, he continues to look for Gabriel. He checks under the kitchen table, looking on the chairs where Gabriel likes to curl up and nap from time to time. He isn't there either. Castiel goes back into the living room and checks the window seat, Gabriel's favorite nap time spot, but the older cat isn't there either. Castiel's tail flicks in annoyance, quickly growing tired of this game.

He checks the bathroom where their litter boxes are, but there's no sign of Gabriel. Castiel hisses in frustration and heads for the last place in the apartment that Gabriel might be. The bedroom door is open a crack, both of their humans, Misha and Richard, leave the door open when they go to work. He slides in the room silently, creeping up to the bed. He tenses his back legs and prepares to leap up onto the bed and surprise Gabriel when he hears the front door open and the sound of his humans' voices and the distinct purring of Gabriel.

He races into the living room, nearly colliding with Misha's leg. He twines through Misha's ankles, looking up at Gabriel, who squirms in Richard's arms, wanting to be let down. Richard laughs and puts him on the ground as Misha leans down and scratches behind Castiel's ears, just how he likes it. Gabriel licks the top of Castiel's head in greeting when Misha straightens back up. Castiel curls the end of his tail around Gabriel's. making the other cat purr once more.

He asks Gabriel where he's been and Gabriel says he had a vet appointment that morning. A regular check up, nothing to worry about. Castiel rubs against Gabriel's side, pressing against him comfortingly. He knows how much Gabriel hates going to the vet. Gabriel headbutts Castiel's side gently, nudging him into the kitchen, following their humans.

Misha and Richard make their own way to the kitchen, discussing plans for the upcoming weekend. They begin pulling out the ingredients and necessary tools for lunch. Misha refill the food and water bowls for the cats. Richard moves to the stove, setting a skillet down on a burner and turning it on. He pours a bit of cooking oil into the pan, just enough to coat the bottom of it. Misha begins chopping up the various ingredients needed for the stir fry and soon Richard is cooking them and feeding bits of the food to the cats who are rubbing against his ankles, looking up at him expectantly.

Misha pulls down some plates for them and sets the table with silverware. He gets a couple of bottle of beer out of the fridge and opens them up, placing them by each plate. Richard brings the pan over as soon as the food is ready and serves it up. They both sit down to eat, the cats following them and getting more treats for their efforts.

Soon lunch is over and Misha cleans up the table while Richard rinses off the dishes and loads the dishwasher. The cats head into the living room to settle down for a nap as their humans turn on the TV. Gabriel loves the TV. He loved it at the nursing home, where he was before he came to live with his humans and Castiel, but there it had mostly shown old Western movies. with Misha and Richard, there's everything from the news to reality shows for him to watch. When the guys are out of the apartment, he teaches himself to work the remote and watches TV for hours, often annoying Castiel because the TV gets more attention than he does.

It's not Gabriel's fault that human things fascinate him. He's spent most of his life around humans more than cats anyway, so he has the tendency to act more like a human sometimes than he does a cat. Castiel found him strange at first, uncertain about the older cat, but he adjusted well enough and now he can't imagine being without Gabriel. Gabriel has taught him a lot about humans and their strange ways. He even taught him a card game that Jared taught him when he was at the nursing home. Castiel doesn't quite understand it, but he tries and that's all that matters to Gabriel.

Castiel asks sometimes about what it was like in the nursing home, but Gabriel doesn't like talking about it. Sometimes he'll tell Castiel stories about what he and Jared did for fun, the they played. Mostly he avoids the topic and changes the subject. Castiel gets the hint and lets it drop at the time, but he never lets it go, pushing at Gabriel when he thinks Gabriel least expects it. Usually, he's right and Gabriel lets something slip that he has to scramble to cover up. Like that one story about Mr. Smith. Castiel had looked at him differently then and hadn't been as affectionate as usual, so Gabriel resolved to never tell Castiel about his ability. No, he'd never speak of it again.

He will never tell him how he can sense Death in a way that most living creatures can't. He won't tell him how he sees the sleek, black tendrils that look like spilled ink that slither and slide across the floor to their next victim. He'll never tell him about how he spent as much time as he could with whoever was next and how he watched in helpless horror as the tendrils slipped inside their chosen ones' body and took the life right out of them. He'll never tell him any of that because he doesn't need to know how horrible Gabriel can be. How he can see Death, but do nothing to stop it from happening.

He avoids it as long as he can, but he knows there's no real way to run from his ability. It catches up with him and he knows this is his punishment for running away from the people who needed him. Richard gets sick – really sick. Misha is worried, though he pretends that it's nothing but a cold, but both Gabriel and Castiel know better. It isn't going away, not even with all the antibiotics that Richard is taking. Misha worries and stresses himself out to the point where it takes Mark, another of their human friends, to practically throw him out of his own apartment and tells him to get some sleep, eat some food, try to relax and come back in a few days, he'll take care of Richard.

Misha stays at Mark's place for time being, calling every day and every night, talking to Richard and Mark. He worries too much and hates being away from his family. He worries too much and doesn't eat enough and nearly makes himself sick with the strain of it all. He admits defeat and knows that he can't stay away much longer.

Castiel loves Mark as Mark always knows just where he needs a nice scratch here or a nice rub there. He often curls up in the man's lap after Richard falls asleep and Mark collapses on the couch, flicking on the TV, though he's not really watching it. Misha calls every day to check in and, after three days of being away, he comes back. Mark stays with them too, knowing Misha needs the support and Richard needs the help. Gabriel twitches his tail as Castiel snuggles next to him, licking the tip of his ear affectionately. 

Castiel is worried about their humans and Gabriel feels horrible for planning his escape as Cas lays next to him, but there's nothing else he can do. He can't risk Richard dying because of him. That would destroy Misha. He won't be the one to punish them over what he's done. It's his actions that led him here and he must bear the consequences, but he's not going to drag his family down with him. They don't deserve that.

His chance to leave comes earlier than he expects, but he's not one to hesitate when it comes to protecting those he loves. The window above the kitchen sink is open and no one is around to see him slip away. Misha is in the bedroom with Richard and Castiel is napping on the couch. It's the perfect chance and one he may not get for a while.

He hops up onto the counter and from the counter to the window sill. He eyes the distance from the window to the tree just outside the window and decides he can make it. He leaps out and clings to a tree branch with his claws and climbs his way to the trunk of the tree and slide-climbs down. He turns and looks back up at the window, feeling a rush of guilt at leaving his family, but he knows that he has to to make things right. Somehow. He's not sure how you make things right with Death though.

He leaves because he's sure that Death will follow him here. He's seen the signs before the tendrils come for their victims. How sick they get, how weak they are. Just like Richard is now. He's willing to do anything and everything for his humans, who have shown him such kindness and for Castiel, who loves him like no one else ever has in his life. It might hurt them for a while that he's gone, but he's sure they will get over it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Misha holds Richard's hand despite Richard's protests that Misha is going to get sick himself if he keeps hanging around Richard. Misha tells him to not be stupid, that he's not going anywhere again until Richard is better. Richard smiles wanly at him and coughs into a Kleenex. He's actually doing a bit better, the antibiotics finally doing their job. Misha is glad for the progress. He is still worried, but it's eased some since Richard seems to be well on the way to recovery.

He absolutely hated leaving Richard for those three days. He knows it was necessary for his own health and Richard's, but he had never been more worried or stressed in his life. Being away from his lover when he is sick and there is nothing Misha can really do to make him feel better is the worst thing Misha has ever felt before in life. He doesn't like this sense of helplessness at all. It's horrible.

Castiel noses his way into the room and makes his way to the bed, jumping into Misha's lap. Misha strokes his soft fur and takes comfort in his purring. Richard reaches out and pets Castiel too, a faint smile on his face. Misha looks around for Gabriel since the other cat is usually not far behind Castiel, but he's nowhere to be found in the room.

“Where's Gabriel, huh Cas?” Misha scratches Castiel behind the ears just like he likes it.

Castiel looks up at Misha with big blue eyes and mews softly at him as if to say he doesn't know.

Misha chuckles and stands, handing Cas to Richard and going in the living room to find Gabriel. He doesn't bother calling for him. Gabriel never comes when he's called.

He checks all of Gabriel's usual hiding places and napping spots, but the cat isn't in any of them. He check the litter box in the bathroom and the food dishes in the kitchen, but Gabriel isn't around.

Then Misha spies the open window above the sink. “Well, shit.”

Castiel creeps out of the bedroom and twines himself around Misha's ankles. Misha bends down and picks him up. “Well, do you think he went out on a walk, Cas?” 

Castiel's wings flutter gently and he meows up at Misha. 

“Yeah, I don't know either, buddy.” Misha sighs.

“Misha? Everything okay?” Richard calls from the room.

“Yeah, babe. Everything's just fine. Don't worry.” Misha leans into the doorway, quick to reassure his lover. He doesn't want to tell Richard about Gabriel just yet and cause him any unnecessary stress. After all, Gabriel could come back any minute now.

Castiel jumps down from Misha's arms and pads over to the window seat in the living room and curls up, staring out the window as if keeping watch for his missing companion. Misha sighs again and scrubs his hands down his face. How in the world is he supposed to deal with all of this right now? He goes back into the kitchen and pours himself a cup of coffee. Coffee can make everything bearable.

He takes a seat at the table and pulls out his cell phone, sending a quick text to everyone in his contacts that live in town, telling them to keep a look out for Gabriel, who has decided to take a stroll around town and to catch him if they see him and to give Misha a call.

Everyone agrees they'll keep watch for the wayward cat and sends get well wishes to Richard too. Misha smiles at his phone, loving their friends even more than usual for their concern. Mark offers to come by later and help him out, but he declines, saying he's got it all under control. He finishes off the last bit of his coffee and checks on Richard, who's fallen asleep with Castiel curled on his stomach. 

He resists the urge to grab his and snap a couple of pictures and goes back into the living room, dropping down on the couch and turning on the television. He needs a bit of time to unwind from everything that's been going on here lately.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gabriel walks alone in town, sticking to alleyways and side streets in order to avoid meeting anyone he might know and who will bring him back to Misha and Richard. Not that he doesn't want to go back; he does, more than anything, but it's for the best if he just stays away. He peeks around the corner, keeping careful watch for anyone he knows when a hand lands on his back. He jumps, startled, turning around with a hiss.

“Whoa, careful, kitty.” The man says. 

He has pale hair and odd, colorless looking eyes. His face is pinched, like he's smelled something unpleasant and he has a pointed nose that curves upward very sharply. His skin is sallow and sickly looking, pale tinged with yellow. His eyes are bloodshot, bags beneath them, heavy dark circles too. He smells weird too. A not quite there scent that throws Gabriel off. He smells like nothing and everything all at once. Gabriel doesn't like him. He makes his fur stand on end.

Gabriel doesn't know who he is. He's never seen him before. He reaches out and pets Gabriel again. It makes Gabriel uncomfortable. The man is too rough with his strokes. His skin is clammy and his hand feels damp as if his palms have been sweating. Gabriel creeps out from under his hand and darts around the corner, the man calling after him. He doesn't want the stranger to get the wrong idea and take him home or something.

He promises himself that if he ever does go back to anyone, it'll be Misha and Richard, but he's not going back to living with humans. He should be kept far away from humans. He doesn't know what deity thought it would be funny to give him this ability, but he hates it and resents them. The ability to predict Death in humans is not one he wants the burden of having. He's seen too much Death in his life and he refuses to see more. 

He knows the warning signs. The slender black tendrils that slide over the ground as they make their way to their victim. As far as he can tell, he's the only one who can see it. They curl and creep their way across the person, wrapping tight around them. The victim never feels them. The tendrils slide into them and a short time later, they're gone.

He hasn't yet seen the tendrils creeping and slithering around the apartment, but he's not willing to take that chance. Death seems to follow him wherever he is and so he hopes that by leaving, he is sparing Richard's life. Losing Richard would absolutely crush Misha. Even if being away from his humans and Castiel hurts him, he has to do it. For them, so they can be happy. Castiel will be hurt, but he'll get over. He's still just a kitten. He's young and eventually maybe he'll even forget about Gabriel. Maybe they'll get another cat, a normal one who isn't stalked by Death. 

The thought of them being happy with some normal, boring cat who doesn't know how to work the remote or play the card he and Mark come up with makes him hiss at nothing and his claws to dig at the ground, irritation making the fur on his back stand on end. It shouldn't have to be this way. Life shouldn't be this hard. He's a cat. Cats are supposed to have it easy. He takes off down the street, still wary of people and keeping a look out for anyone he knows. He can't risk being found and taken back to the apartment, no matter how much he wants to go back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Night falls and Gabriel still hasn't returned. Castiel can't understand why he left in the first place. Was it something he did to push Gabriel away? His constant questions about Gabriel's life in the nursing home and why he left? Something else that bothered the older cat? Castiel had thought that Gabriel was happy here with Misha and Richard. He certainly is. There's no one to make fun of his wings here, all the food he wants, delicious treats for doing anything cute, head scritches whenever he needs them, plenty of love and humans who love to cuddle in bed or on the couch.

Castiel can't understand why Gabriel would leave all of this behind. Maybe it's because Richard is sick, but that didn't make sense. He isn't contagious anymore and he's getting better. Castiel kneads the cushion on the window seat in agitation. He just wants Gabriel back. It's lonely without the other cat around. 

Misha comes out of the bedroom and drops down to the couch with a sigh. He's been sleeping on the couch ever since Richard got sick. He wanted Richard to relax and so moved out into the living room with the cats. He doesn't mind it, the couch is pretty comfy, but he misses the feel of his skin pressing against Richard's, the warmth of his body and the sleepy kisses in the morning and the way they would wake up tangled together.

They'll make it through this, he has no doubt. He's just stressed out and tired and he just wants Richard to be better now. He knows that is selfish, that Richard wants to be well even more than Misha wants him to be, but he can't help it. Now with Gabriel missing, he feels like this is all falling apart around him and he can't hold everything together.

Castiel hops into his lap and presses his paws against Misha's chest, leaning up to study his face. Misha smiles at him weakly and pets him gently. Castiel drops down into his lap and twitches his tail across Misha's chest before wrapping it around himself. Misha rests a hand on his head and rubs his ears with the tips of his fingers. 

“What are we gonna do, Cas?” Misha sighs and tips his head back to rest along the couch.

Cas purrs in response, sensing his human's need for some sort of comfort. It gets a small smile out of Misha at least.

“We'll make it, won't we?” Misha scratches behind Castiel's ears.

Castiel headbutts his hand and gives his fingers a lick. Of course they'll make it through. They always do.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Richard shifts on the bed, feeling another coughing fit tickling at the back of his throat. He ignores it or the time being and stares up at the ceiling. He hates being sick. There's nothing to do except lay around all day because that's the only thing he has the energy to do and it sucks. He hates being confined to the bed all damn day, but he barely has the strength to get and go to the bathroom when he needs it. He hates feeling so useless and he knows that this is stressing Misha out to no end, even though Misha won't say anything. He can see in the lines around Misha's eyes and the tightness to his mouth when he smiles weakly at Richard.

His thoughts are interrupted by the coughing fit. It makes his throat ache fiercely, a sharp, burning sort of pain that feels like you've swallowed a handful of razor blades. He sinks back into the pillows when it's over, even more exhausted. He rubs a hand down his face and wishes for the millionth time since he got sick that he was already better and over this illness.

As usual, there is no miracle cure forthcoming in the next few minutes. He huffs a sigh and pulls the blankets up to his chin, shivering slightly. Might as well attempt to get some sleep before the next coughing fit jerks him from his less than peaceful slumber. He rolls over on his side and wishes Misha were there to hold onto him and falls into an uneasy sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gabriel prowls around town, bored out of his mind. Things aren't nice out here in the streets. It's cold, wet, and there's too much noise and chaos everywhere. Gabriel hates it. Even the nursing home was better than this. At least there weren't people who kicked at him, puddles everywhere that got his paws wet, and other cats who growled and hissed at him. He isn't scared of the other cats, but he hates fighting and tries to avoid them when he can.

He longs to go home and curl up on the window seat with Castiel tucked contentedly against his side, purring happily. He aches for the head scratches from Misha and chin scritches from Richard. He wants the soft conversation of his humans and the light noise of the TV in the background. Mostly he just wants to go home where he knows he's loved, but he can't. He won't.

He's cursed to live out his life alone with only Death as company. He makes his way down a deserted alley and finds an empty cardboard box. He climbs in it, knocking it over onto its side so he has some protection from the wind and the slight drizzle going on outside. At least the weather matches his mood. Dark and cold and wet with grey skies and a low rumble of thunder in the distance. It promises rain soon and isn't that great?

Gabriel lays down with his chin resting on his front paws and stares out at the world, wishing he could go home and knowing he can't if he wants to keep them safe. He keeps repeating that to himself until he falls into a restless sleep, haunted by the memories of a happier time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Misha starts awake, neck aching from falling asleep at such an odd angle. Castiel blinks up at him in confusion, mewing softly. 

Misha stretches, wincing at the various pops that sound with the movement. “Guess it's time for bed, huh?” 

Castiel lays back down, clearly uninterested in moving off of Misha's lap. Misha sighs and scoops him up, shifting around so he's laying down length wise on the couch. He pulls the covers back up on him and puts Castiel down on his stomach. Castiel kneads the blanket briefly before settling down.

Misha doesn't fall asleep right away. He stays up, staring at the shadows playing tag on the ceiling and listening to Richard's harsh breathing from the bedroom and the hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen. They seem overly loud in the quiet apartment and Misha can't help but focus on them. Eventually he falls asleep, the noises following him into his dreams.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gabriel wakes up with a jerk. His box is moving around very fast and it's very unpleasant for him. He looks up and sees the man from yesterday, the one who tried to pet him, carrying the box he's in. He gives a startled meow and the man looks down him, beaming.

“Hello, kitty! Glad to see you're awake.” The man says cheerfully.

Gabriel makes to jump out of the box, but the man puts his hand out and forces him back in. 

“Now, now. There will be none of that, kitty. Behave, okay?” The man keeps a hand pressed against Gabriel's back as they walk.

The only explanation is that this man is crazy and likes to pick up random stray cats off the street. Except Gabriel really isn't a stray. He has a collar with a tag that says his name and the address to the apartment. He hasn't managed to get out of it yet. He hopes that the man may actually be taking him back to Misha and Richard, but he has his doubts. There's something not quite right with this man. Something that makes the fur along his back stand on end.

He hears the jingle of keys and then his box is set down. He peers over the edge cautiously, unsure of what he'll find.

“Welcome home, kitty! You'll be staying here with me now. I'm Todd. Your tag says your name is Gabriel, but I don't think I like that name very much, so I'll change it soon. In the meantime, make yourself at home.” Todd says, speaking loudly.

Gabriel's ears flatten against his head and he bares his teeth at Todd. The action gets him a chuckle and a pat on the head.

“It's okay, kitty. I know you're scared, being in a new place and all, but I promise there's nothing to worry about, okay?” Todd grins at him in a way that he probably thinks is reassuring, but is actually just creepy to Gabriel.

He pats Gabriel on the head a touch too hard and walks off, whistling to himself. Gabriel looks around at the house he's in carefully. There's a scent of some sort of human food lingering in the air, a hint of dust and musk, and Todd's overpowering cologne that makes him sneeze. He glares around the house and ducks down into his box once more. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Misha wakes Richard up in the morning, getting him to eat a piece of toast, the only thing he can keep down, and take his medicine. That done, Richard settles back into the bed and falls asleep while Misha gets ready for work at the library.

He calls Mark and asks if he will stay with Richard while he's at work. Mark agrees and shows up ten minutes later, smiling at Misha when he opens the door.

“How is he?” Mark asks, shrugging out of his coat.

“Alright. He's asleep now. I made him eat and take his morning meds, so you don't have to worry about that.” Misha says, sliding his on.

“Okay. Find Gabriel yet?” Mark asks, reaching down to pet Castiel who has wound his way around Mark's ankles.

“No and don't say anything to Richard about him either. I haven't told him yet because I don't want to stress him out and Gabriel might come back at any moment.” Misha warns, tugging on a jacket.

“I won't say a word. Promise.” Mark nods, picking up Castiel and cradling him against his chest, stroking his wings.

“Alright. I should be home around five. You wanna stay for dinner? I can pick something up on the way home. Chinese?” Misha offers, one hand on the door knob.

“Sure. Chinese is fine.” Mark sits down on the couch, Castiel curling up in his lap and flicks on the TV.

“Okay. I'll have my cell on. Call if you need anything.” Misha waves and shuts the door behind him.

“He sure does worry a lot, doesn't he?” Mark asks Castiel.

Castiel meows in agreement.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A short time later, Todd comes back from wherever he went in the house to find Gabriel still in his box by the front door. He clucks his tongue as he walks over to him.

“Kitty, this simply will not do. You've got to come out of there. Come on, now.” Todd tilts the side of the box, so that Gabriel spills out of it with a hiss. He lands on his feet and arches his back, ears flattening against his head in warning.

Todd takes no sign that he understands. “Kitty, I said to make yourself at home.”

He reaches out to pet Gabriel and is met with Gabriel's claws slicing into the back of his hand. He pulls back with a pained gasp. Blood wells up on his hand, the crimson staining the pale skin a vibrant color. It drips down his arm as he holds it up, cradled to his chest, glaring down at Gabriel.

“Kitty, that wasn't very nice at all! I told you to behave yourself before we got here. You need to mind me. I'm your master.” Todd scolds, his bleeding hand still clutched to his chest.

His words make Gabriel hiss once again. Nobody is his master, not even Richard and Misha, though they would never even think to call themselves that. He snaps his teeth at Todd before spotting a place to hide. He walks underneath the kitchen table and jumps up onto a chair, curling up and giving his paw a few licks.

Todd sighs and washes the cuts off in the sink, no longer whistling to himself. “You'll have to learn the rules around here, kitty. That's okay. I can teach you. No problem.”

He dries his hands off on a hand towel and glances back at Gabriel as he heads back down the hall to finish doing whatever it is that he's been doing since Gabriel got here. Gabriel really doesn't want to know. It's probably something horrible anyway.

Gabriel ignores him and continues cleaning himself. There will be time for plotting his escape from this place soon enough. He just has to be patient and observant. Todd will make a mistake and leave the door open a second too long, or a window open with no screen covering it and he'll be gone even faster than he was when he left home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Castiel paces across the window seat restlessly, uneasy without Gabriel there. Mark notices his constant agitated movements and walks over to him. 

“You miss him, don't you, Cas?” He pets Castiel soothingly.

Castiel meows and presses his nose against the cool glass, hoping that he will catch sight of Gabriel soon. 

He misses the other cat something fierce. As nice as Misha is to cuddle with when he wants to sleep, Castiel really missed Gabriel the most last night, so used to curling against Gabriel's side to sleep. It isn't the same and he didn't sleep as well as he usually did without the other cat there.

There's no sign of Gabriel now, but he keeps watch, determined not to miss Gabriel's arrival and holding onto the hope that the other cat simply went out looking for an adventure and will be home soon to tell him all about it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day seems to drag on for Misha. There are new books to be added into the system, books that need to be shelved again, books that need to be checked in, books to recommend, books to read to the little kids, just books, books, and more books. He can't wait until it's five and he can leave to pick up dinner for himself and Mark and go home to eat. He just wants to relax. 

Hopefully Gabriel is home by now too. He wonders why the cat left. He doesn't pretend to understand Gabriel. He's odd even for a cat. He likes to act more like a human than an animal. Misha loves him, but Gabriel confuses him most of the time. Richard understands him better anyway. Misha understands Castiel. The almost-but-not-really kitten is far less complicated than Gabriel is. 

He sighs, moving a stack of books that he just checked in to the shelving cart, leaving it for someone else to take care of. He checks the time and finds that he still has an hour left at work and, with a groan, gets started on the next stack of books. It's not that he doesn't love his job because he really does, it's just that he really wants to get home to Richard and just unwind. He hopes his lover is doing better again today. 

He debates texting Mark, but figures the man can handle anything that comes his way. He's resourceful like that. His phone vibrates anyway, signaling that he has a text message. He pulls out his phone and reads it quickly. Jared and Jensen want to know if he wants to come over for dinner or if he wants them to stop by. They can pick up some Chinese if that's okay with him.

He texts back, telling them they can stop by since Mark is already staying for dinner and he's picking up Chinese already, he can just grab their orders. A few more messages later and he's got their orders along with Mark's and Richard's if he can keep down. He thinks he can, feels better today with regards to eating since the idea doesn't immediately send him running for the bathroom.

Misha grins at his phone and checks the time once more. He's still got forty five minutes left before he's free.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gabriel stays on the chair for most of the day, keeping well away from Todd. He still hasn't come up with Gabriel's new name, but he assures Gabriel he will have the perfect name for him soon, just be patient. He doesn't try to pet Gabriel though which amuses him more than it should. He doesn't pet right anyway. Too rough and hard and not enough tenderness in the supposedly affectionate touches. 

He does however explore the living room when Todd isn't in there, looking for some way out of this place. There's not much to it. A couch, an arm chair, a TV on an entertainment center. It looks rather bare compared to the cozy living room at his humans apartment. That nothing but everything scent clings to the air and it makes Gabriel want to throw up. It's disgusting and he hates it more than anything in the world right now. He just wants to go home.

He feels stupid for leaving in the first place and now for getting picked up by some freaky stranger who wants to rename him and babbles on about destiny and how they're meant to be cat and owner because it was all foretold to him. Gabriel doesn't pay him much attention, too busy looking for any way to get out of this place, but finding none. It's disappointing. He's better than this, he can get out of here. He just has to try harder, that's all. He can do it and then he can go home to his family. He misses them too much and it's too hard to bear now. 

He pads across the wooden flooring. It's cold underneath his paws and makes him shiver. There's a lap in the corner that casts a dim, yellow light over the arm chair. He noses around the edge of chair and finds nothing of interest, save a few dust bunnies that makes him sneeze. There's nothing that will help him get out in here. He heads for the kitchen.

There's a door off to the side of the stove. It's locked, but Gabriel sniffs around the edges of it and it smells like fresh air and sunshine, so he knows this could be a potential way out if he could get Todd to open it. He claws at the bottom of it briefly, frustrated at himself and at Todd. It's his own damn fault he got caught anyway. He hears Todd talking to himself down the hall and he hisses quietly. 

The guy honestly just freaks Gabriel out in a way he can't really describe. He makes Gabriel's fur stand on end every time he comes near him. There's something off about the guy. Speaking of, Todd appears in the living room. 

“Kitty, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back soon, don't worry.” Todd puts on his and grabs his keys. 

Time to act, Gabriel thinks to himself and jumps down from the chair.

“Come to see me off, kitty? Aren't you sweet?” Todd coos at him. 

Gabriel's tail twitches in disgust at the sickeningly sweet tone of his voice and, with no small amount of irritation, he twines around Todd's ankles as he heads for the door. Now's his chance to get out of here.

Todd opens the door and Gabriel moves quickly, going to dart out the door, but Todd is surprisingly faster than he is and snatches him up from the ground before he can even set paw out the door. 

“Bad kitty. We don't go outside. You get a time out for that.” Todd carries him deeper into the house, opening a door off the side of the kitchen. It leads out to what Gabriel thinks is a garage. Todd grabs some sort of large basket thing and puts Gabriel on the ground, holding him still with a heavy hand on his back. He places the basket upside down over Gabriel.

“I told you time and again to behave, kitty. You need to learn to listen to me.” Todd waves a finger in Gabriel's face. If the side of the basket wasn't in the way, Gabriel would have bitten him by now.

“Now you're gonna have to stay there until I come back.” Todd leaves, clucking his tongue as he goes, closing the door, and Gabriel's only chance at freedom, behind him. 

Gabriel paces around the basket, trying to see if he can get out from under it. He can move it if he walks pressed against the side, but it's heavy and takes too much effort on his part. He tries jumping up and hitting the top of it to tip it over, but all that gets him is a sore head.

He sits down and begins to bathe himself, thinking of a new plan to get away from Todd. If this has taught him anything, it's that he truly does belong with Misha, Richard, and Castiel and now all he wants is to go back to them, selfish of him though that may be. He just has to be patient. He can do that. He can wait and plan patiently. He's good at that. He's better than Todd anyway and he will prove it too. He just needs the right opportunity to present itself and then he is gone, on his way back to his home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Misha makes it home at the same time that Jensen and Jared are arriving at his apartment. Jared grins at him and takes the bag of food from him as Misha unlocks the door. They walk in the apartment, toeing off their by the front door as they do. Jared sets the bag on the kitchen table and goes into the bedroom, knocking on the door. 

“Hey, Rich, Mark. You feeling any better, buddy?” Jared asks, dropping down onto the foot of the bed and patting Richard's leg.

“Yeah, much better. About time too.” Richard grins, happy to see his friends.

Jensen and Misha follow him into the room, nodding greetings to Mark. Misha leans down and kisses Richard on the cheek and gives Mark a quick hug.

“Glad you're feeling better, babe. Up for some dinner?” Misha asks, looking concerned.

“Yeah, is it Chinese? Smells like Chinese.” Richard laughs brightly.

“Yeah, it's Chinese.” Jensen answers, snickering slightly.

“Awesome. Let's get Princess here out of bed.” Mark says, lightly pushing at Richard's shoulder.

Richard rolls his eyes, but gets up anyway, sliding out from under the covers. Misha hovers near him, ready to reach out and catch him should he stumble, but he makes it into the dining room just fine. 

Castiel comes over and rubs against his ankles, meowing up at him. Richard smiles down at him and, once he's seated, leans down to pet him.

“Where's Gabriel? I haven't seen him in a while.” Richard asks, looking over at Misha.

Misha freezes, one hand in the bag, the other one holding a carton of food in mid-air. Jared looks over at him, confused as to why he suddenly stopped unpacking the food.

“Misha?” Richard cocks his head at his lover.

A hush falls over the group as all eyes turn to Misha. Misha really wishes they wouldn't all stare at him. It's making him even more uncomfortable. He really doesn't want to tell Richard this, but he doesn't have a choice now.

“Yesterday I noticed the window above the sink had been left open. I guess I left it open. Gabriel must have gotten out that way.” Misha grips the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white.

Everything is silent. Misha turns to look at Richard slowly, worried about his reaction. Richard is petting Castiel who is curled up in his lap, staring down at the white cat.

“So he's missing?” Richard asks in a voice far calmer than Misha expects.

“Yeah. He's missing.” Misha sighs, coming over to sit next to Richard.

“Well, why aren't we out there looking for him?” Richard stands up abruptly, Castiel displeased with having his seat move out from under him. He stalks off to the living room and hops up onto the window seat and goes back to keeping watch for Gabriel out the window.

“Because you're still sick. Sit down, please, Richard.” Misha puts a hand on Richard's arm.

“Here, Jared, Mark, and I will go look for him after we eat. Come on, sit down. Food's getting cold.” Jensen says, finishing what Misha started and unpacking the rest of the food.

Dinner is terse and Richard doesn't say much and Misha looks miserable beside him, but they get through it and Jared, Jensen, and Mark soon take off after they eat to go hunt for Gabriel.

Richard moves into the living room and sits down on the couch, tired and worried over Gabriel. Misha hesitantly takes a seat next to him. 

“Are you mad at me?” He asks finally.

Richard looks at him in surprise. “No, I know it's not your fault and I don't blame you. I'm not mad at all. Just worried about him.”

Misha smiles weakly. “I know. I'm sorry.” 

“You have nothing to be sorry for, baby.” Richard leans over and pecks him on the cheek, still cautious about kissing him and getting him sick.

“Feels like I do. If I hadn't left the window open, Gabriel wouldn't have gotten out.” Misha sighs, twisting his hands together in his lap.

Richard covers Misha's hands with his own. “It's not your fault. You didn't know he would go out the window. There's nothing to be sorry for or to blame yourself for, okay?”

“I shouldn't have been so careless though.” Misha protests.

Richard kisses his cheek. “Not your fault.”

Misha leans his head on Richard's shoulder and waits for the return of their friends, hoping that Gabriel is with them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gabriel awakes with a start when the front door opens with a bang. Todd walks in, boots ringing off the tile floor. He makes his way over to Gabriel and crouches down in front of him. 

“Now kitty, are you going to behave?” He asks.

Gabriel meows in agitation, but Todd seems to take it for agreement and lifts the basket off of him. Gabriel doesn't waste any time. Todd left the front door open just enough for him to slip out of. He darts around Todd and out the front door, ignoring the shouts from the man and takes off down the street. He hears the pounding of Todd's boot on the pavement behind him, can almost feel the clammy hands closing around his middle and hoisting him into the air.

He sprints on, turning down a side street and running headlong into a pair of legs. He looks up, half afraid it's Todd somehow in front of him, even though he can still hear the man behind him. To his relief, he's run into Mark who bends down and scoops him up just as Todd rounds the corner.

“Oh, thank you. You've caught my cat.” Todd pants, reaching out to take Gabriel from Mark.

Mark pulls back with a frown. “I think you've made a mistake. This cat belongs to a couple of friends of mine.”

Todd glares at him. “No, he doesn't. He's my cat, now hand him over.”

Mark shoots him a disbelieving look. “Look, man, I think I would know my friends' cat, okay? Besides his collar clearly says 'Gabriel' on it and gives the address of the apartment where my friends live.”

“You're lying!” Todd shrieks, stomping his foot.

“Are you serious? If you want a cat so bad, go buy one from the pet shop or adopt one from the animal shelter.” Mark strokes Gabriel's head, soothing the irritated cat.

“It's not the same thing! This is my cat. We are destined to be together!” Todd tries once more to take Gabriel from Mark.

Mark takes a step back away from him. “Dude, I'm not giving you Gabriel, okay? Back off.”

“His name isn't Gabriel. It's Jibrīl. I know because he came to me in a dream and told me where I would find him and how he wanted me to take him away.” Todd's voice rises in pitch.

“Uh huh. I think you need some serious help, man.” Mark turns away from him and begins to walk away, back toward the apartment.

Todd runs around in front of him. “I won't let you take him away from me!”

“Dude, he's not your cat and he's not going to be your cat, so back off. You're starting to piss me off and that's not a good thing.” Mark snaps, holding Gabriel protectively against his chest. 

Gabriel hisses at Todd, baring his fangs. He's finally going home and he's not about to let some nutjob ruin this for him.

Todd drops his hands to his sides and looks at Gabriel. “I thought we had a good thing going, Jibrīl.”

Gabriel hisses at him again, claws digging into Mark's arm. Todd lowers his head and sighs. “I guess not.”

Mark pushes past him and Todd doesn't try stopping him again. He stands in the middle of the sidewalk and watches Mark's retreating figure. He'd get Gabriel back. After all, he knows where he'll be, thanks to the collar. He chuckles darkly and spins around on his heel, walking away. This isn't over just yet.

He gets home and slams his door shut, angry at himself for allowing the cat to escape. That was the one cat he needed. The cat who could see Death coming. The power he could have over people if he had that cat. Whoever owned him now didn't know just how special Jibrīl really is. They are wasting his talent, his abilities left unused. It disgusts Todd to think that such a powerful creature is left in the hands of incompetent owners who know nothing about harnessing his true power. 

He storms around his house, kicking the arm chair in a fit of rage. The pain throbs up his foot to his knee and he swears loudly, dropping down into the chair he just kicked and holding his foot. Like he said before, it's not over yet and he will have Jibrīl and soon.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Gabriel settles down in Mark's arms as Mark shifts him around to pull out his cell phone and call Jared and Jensen to let them know he has found Gabriel and is taking him back to Misha and Richard. They are happy and agree to meet him there. They promise not to say anything to Misha or Richard about him finding Gabriel. It'll make for a nice surprise for them.

He doesn't call Richard and Misha, wanting it to be a surprise. He grins and strokes Gabriel's back. “Wanna make Misha and Richard's night, Gabe?”

Gabriel meows and licks Mark's hand in agreement. Mark smiles and heads to the apartment, a spring in his step, pleased to have found Gabriel and avoided any major issues with the freak who apparently had Gabriel. The dude gave Mark the creeps and that's not an easy feat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Castiel curls up for the night on the window seat, resigned to having to wait another day for Gabriel to get home. He had heard the conversation between Misha and Jensen about how neither he nor Jared had found Gabriel. They were on their way back to the apartment and would see them soon. Misha thanked them for searching for Gabriel and hangs up. 

He tells Richard what was said and Castiel doesn't want to see the look of disappointment on Richard's face, so he presses himself closer to the cold glass of the window and keeps watch, hoping that somehow Gabriel will walk right up to the door and scratch at it to be let in.

There's a knock on the door and Misha gets up to answer it. Castiel doesn't bother looking, figuring it's only Jensen, Jared, and Mark. Misha's cry of happiness makes him jump down and hurry over to him as Richard does the same. Misha has Gabriel in his arms and is kissing the top of his head. 

Richard takes Gabriel from Misha and cuddles him against his chest, smiling down at the cat. Gabriel licks his cheek and then squirms to be put down. Richard laughs and lets Gabriel down. Castiel immediately pounces on Gabriel, nuzzling under his chin and dragging his tail along Gabriel's side as his wings flutter with joy.

Gabriel purrs and leads Castiel back up to their usual spot on the window seat while the humans talk amongst themselves, moving out of the door way and into the living room, closing the door behind them. 

Castiel curls contentedly against Gabriel's side, purring loudly. Gabriel licks the top of his head and settles down for a nap, worn out from all the excitement and running he had to do today. Castiel makes him promise to tell him everything that happened to him tomorrow after they've both had some sleep. Castiel admits that he doesn't like sleeping alone without Gabriel there beside him. Gabriel presses more firmly against Castiel's side and vows to himself to never leave the other cat alone again.

They are back together once more and nothing will ever part them from each other again. Not even Gabriel's curse because even he has to admit that maybe he was wrong in taking off so fast when there was never even the slightest hint that Death was coming for Richard. He never saw the tendrils. He panicked and let it get the better of him and he did the only thing he could think of. He ran and tried not to look back, no matter what happened. Now he's glad he's home and he never wants to set paw outside the apartment again for any reason.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I'm guessing that after Gabriel got out, this dude just found him wandering around and instead of bringing him back here, he tried to keep him. He has some serious issues though. Claimed Gabriel's name was really Jibrīl and that he had come to him in a dream and that they were destined to be together. Fucking weird shit, man.” Mark stretches out his legs as he tells the others what happened.

“Wow, that's got to be the weirdest thing I've ever heard.” Jared blinks, staring at Mark.

“Dude was a total freak.” Mark nods.

“Sounds like it. Who does all that for a cat? Not that your cats aren't awesome, but still, come on.” Jensen shakes his head in disbelief. 

Misha tightens his grip on Richard's hand. “We're just glad you found him, Mark. Thank you.”

“Yeah, thanks, man.” Richard leans over and hugs Mark, who slaps him lightly on the back.

“Well, now that you have your cat back, focus on getting better, yeah?” Mark grins.

“Yeah, okay.” Richard laughs. 

They bid everyone a goodnight and see them out the door. Misha closes it behind them and leans against it, smiling at the cats, who are sleeping on the window seat.

Richard comes over to him and tugs on his hand. “Let's go to bed, babe.”

Misha pulls back a little. “You sure? I mean, I can sleep on the couch for another night.”

“I'd rather have you in bed with me. The couch isn't really big enough for us both to sleep on.” Richard grins and kisses Misha slowly.

Misha melts against him, glad he's still leaning against the door. It's been too long since he's been kissed like that by Richard,

Richard pulls back with a grin. “Bed time.”

Misha has no problem with that at all.

Richard tugs him to their bedroom and lays down, Misha getting in on his side of the bed. They curl up together, happy to be sharing the same bed again. It's so much easier to sleep when they have each other in their arms. Sleep finds them quickly tonight and they are glad it does.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Castiel refuses to let Gabriel move off the window seat until he tells him everything. So Gabriel does. He tells him about his unnatural ability to see Death, the slender, black tendrils that creep and slide over the body of the person before disappearing into them. He tells him about life at the nursing home where he always knew when someone was going to die and paid as much attention to them as possible to make them feel the least bit happier before they left this world. He told him about how only Jared seemed to make that connection and was the one to finally see how miserable it was making Gabriel when not even his favorite toy could get more interest than a weak flick of a paw from him.

He told him how Jared smuggled him out of the nursing home one night and gave him to Richard long before Richard had moved in with Misha. He told him how much happier he was with Richard. He told him why he left, how he was afraid that, because he left the nursing home and what was his duty to the people there, when Richard got sick, it was his fault. He told him about how he feared the black tendrils would curl around Richard and take his life away and how that would crush Misha and he wasn't going to do that to his humans.

He told him how he escaped through the open window and down the tree and how he had spent nearly all night wandering around the streets and finally settling into a cardboard box after his first unnerving encounter with Todd as he would come to know him. He tells him how the next morning he was rudely awakened by Todd carrying him in the box to his house. 

He tells him how much Todd creeped him out and how he put the basket over him as a punishment and called himself Gabriel's master. He told him about cutting Todd's hand and how Todd had stopped him from escaping the first time and that's why he had the basket put over him. He told him about Todd leaving and then coming back and how he was able to get past him and out the front door and run into Mark who saved him. He told him about the scene in the street and how Mark had stood up to Todd and took him home.

He told him how much he missed Castiel and their humans and how lonely he was. He told him that he thought he was protecting everyone by leaving and that it was the right thing to do in the end, no matter how he felt about it. He told him about the guilt he felt about keeping all of this, all the things from his past from Castiel, but he didn't want the other cat to know for fear of Castiel thinking he was a freak. He tells him everything and hopes for the best.

Castiel sits in silence for a while, going over everything Gabriel tells him and, though he is nervous, Gabriel doesn't interrupt his thought process for once. Eventually, Castiel looks at Gabriel and asks him if he will ever leave again.

Gabriel swear he won't leave, that he couldn't stand to leave them ever again. Nothing will make him leave, short of Misha and Richard getting rid of him, which Castiel is quick to assure him will never happen. Castiel tells him he loves him and doesn't want him to hide things from him anymore. Gabriel promises that he won't.

Castiel also assures him that he doesn't think Gabriel is a freak. After all, how could he when he's a cat with wings? Gabriel tells him that his wings are beautiful and that anyone who tells him differently will have to deal with him. Castiel smiles at the fierce love that shines through for him in Gabriel's words. He licks Gabriel's ear and purrs.

They settle down on the window seat and wait for their humans to wake up. 

~*~*~*~

Todd paces around his living room, trying to come up with a way to get Jibrīl back from those worthless owners of his. It isn't fair that he should stay with them when they don't even know the power he holds. He comforts himself with the thought that Jibrīl will soon be his again and he will harness his power. Fate brought them together for a reason and she wouldn't let them be apart for long, not with what he knew about Jibrīl.

He could wait until those so called owner went to work. He's pretty sure the dark haired one works in the library. The other one is some kind of truck driver or something. He's seen them both around town before, walking hand in hand. It's a small town after all and Todd prides himself on knowing everything he possibly can about his enemies. 

The cat who can see Death itself would his most powerful weapon. He's done his research, looking up ancient spells and rituals to ward off Death, but how does one avoid something one can't see? Now though he will be able to see with the help of Jibrīl. He's not sure why Fate has told him to change the name. Gabriel is just as fitting as Jibrīl being a slightly different form of the same name, but it's not his place to question Fate. She made that quite clear when he asked the first and only time about the name choice. 

He grabs his lock picking kit and heads out the door. It's ten in the morning, both of them should be at work by now. If they're not, well, he can deal with them. He touches the crystal at his throat. A simple hypnosis spell should do the trick. They are feeble minded anyway and so they should be easy to control that way. Then Jibrīl will be his.

He walks quickly down the street, hood pulled up over his head to protect against the icy rain that is falling. The ground is slick and the wind is chilly, penetrating his thick jacket as if it were no more than a light summer shirt. He tugs it tighter against his body and keeps going. He's almost to their apartment complex.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The alarm rings shrilly, breaking the peaceful silence of the bedroom. Misha groans and rolls over, slapping a hand down on the snooze button. Richard sighs, snuggling closer to Misha. 

“Time to get up already?” He mumbles against the sleep-warm skin of Misha's neck. 

“Yeah, gotta go to work unfortunately.” Misha kisses Richard's cheek.

“I think I'm gonna go back to work tomorrow. I feel well enough too and I'm going crazy sitting around all the time.” Richard says, blinking at Misha, still a bit groggy.

“You sure you're ready for that? I don't want you getting sick again, babe.” Misha frowns in concern.

“Yeah, I'm up for it. I'll be fine. Now go take a shower and I'll make some coffee and breakfast. Bacon and eggs okay?” Richard is already rolling out of bed by the time he finishes his sentence.

“Yeah, that's fine.” Misha heads into the bathroom as Richard goes into the kitchen.

When Misha gets done in the bathroom, he gets dressed and walks into the dining room just as Richard is putting a cup of coffee down beside a plate full of fried eggs, bacon, and toast. Misha kisses him briefly before taking a seat at the table.

“Looks great, babe.” Misha says, taking a sip of coffee.

“Thanks. What time are you gonna be home tonight?” Richard asks after swallowing a bite of food.

“Around five, if I don't have to stay late. I'll call if I do.” Misha nods, eating a piece of bacon.

“Alright. I'll have dinner ready by then.” Richard nods.

“Okay, awesome.” Misha grins at him.

They finish up breakfast and Richard clears the table while Misha fills the food and water bowls for the cats who are just getting up and padding into the kitchen. Misha gives them both a few quick pets, kisses Richard, and heads out the door. 

Richard tidies up the kitchen and sinks down onto the couch when he's done. Gabriel immediately jumps into his lap after he's done eating, Castiel following a bit more slowly, lingering near the water for a moment. Richard strokes Gabriel's back. 

“No more running away and getting picked up by strangers, okay buddy?” Richard scratches behind Gabriel's ears.

Gabriel mews in agreement, licking at Richard's fingertips. Richard smiles down at him and turns on the TV.

“Let's see what's on, hmm?” Richard flips the channels, settling in for a relaxing morning.

Todd manages to slip inside the gates of the apartment complex as a car goes in. He knows the apartment number, thanks to Gabriel's collar tag. It's just a matter of finding it now. It doesn't take long to find the right apartment. It's on the second floor. Todd eyes the staircase leading up to it. He could go straight to the front door and see if anyone is home. He could go around the back and see if there's some sort of balcony or window to see into, but it's on the seconds floor, so he opts for the front door.

There are little windows that frame either side of the door, so he peeks in them, looking to see if there's anyone in there. It's hard to see through them since the glass is blurred over, but he can't see any movement, so he assumes there is no one home. He picks the lock quickly and slides inside, shutting the door quietly behind him.

The sound of water running makes him pause. Someone is home. That's okay, he has the crystal Fate gave him. He's hoping he can get out of there with Jibril before whoever is in the shower gets out though. He moves quickly, looking around the living room for Gabriel.

A little white cat crosses his path and stops, looking up at him. The cat has wings. He falls to his knees before the cat, reaching out to touch it hesitantly. An Angel cat! Fate didn't tell him about this one. He strokes the top of the cat's head. The cat shies away from him, mewing uneasily.

He needs to work fast here if he wants to make it out before anyone discovers he has been here. He looks around the living room for Jibril and doesn't see him. He moves into the little dining room, checking under the table and on the chairs. He's not there either. He's also not in the kitchen and that leaves one last place to check. The bedroom.

He pushes the door open and the sound of water gets louder. He pauses in the doorway and looks around. Jibril is asleep on the bed, curled up in a ball among the blankets. Just as he's about to go in and grab Jibril, the water shuts off.

“Shit.” Todd hisses, ducking out of the room.

He needs to get out of there and fast. He doesn't want to risk getting caught, even with the crystal. Some people can be resistant to its powers, though they are rare. He still doesn't want to take the chance and he slips out of the apartment, locking the door back behind him, cursing his timing.

~*~

 

Richard steps out of the shower and dries off before wrapping the towel around his waist. He walks into the bedroom, pulling out some and a shirt and changing quickly. He wants to meet Misha for lunch. Castiel pads into the room and hops up on the bed with Gabriel, laying down beside the other cat. He mews up at Richard when Richard leans over to pet them both after he puts on his .

“I'll be back soon.” Richard assures them.

Gabriel slits open an eye, yawns and then goes back to sleep, clearly uninterested in Richard's plans for the day. Castiel curls himself closer to Gabriel and puts his head on his front paws.

Richard leaves the cats laying on the bed together and makes his way out of the apartment.

Gabriel blinks his eyes open and studies Castiel for a moment, sensing something is wrong with the other cat. He nudges Castiel with his nose, asking what's wrong with him.

Castiel tells him about the strange man that was creeping around the apartment and tried to pet him. Castiel didn't like the way he smelled, like metal and nothing at once. It shook him up a bit, Gabriel can tell. The man sounds familiar though and a cold rush of fear slides down his back, making his fur bristle. He's pretty sure it was Todd.

Castiel asks him if it was Todd and Gabriel hesitates before telling him that it probably was. He doesn't know what to do about it, other than hope he doesn't come back again. He presses closer to Castiel and apologizes quietly. Castiel licks his face comfortingly, and assures him it's not his fault.

Gabriel isn't so sure about that.

~*~

 

Todd heads back to his house. He needs to regroup and think of a new plan. He can't hang around the apartment complex either because he had already attracted odd looks from the residents and he didn't need someone calling the police for some stranger hanging around, looking shifty.

He paces around his living room, chewing a nail to shreds. It doesn't help him think and he ends up ripping off too much of his nail and blood wells up in the stinging tear in his skin. He sucks the blood away and ignores the pain. He needs a plan and he needs one now.

His gaze lands on the cat carrier behind the arm chair. That could probably hold both Jibril and the angel cat. He has to wait though. He can't go back just yet. He settles down in the arm chair and eyes the clock. A few hours should be enough and then he can have both the angel cat and the Death cat.

All that power, right at his fingertips. The thought is intoxicating to him and he grins maniacally at the blank TV set. The things he could do with the combined power of the angel cat and the Death cat. Everything Fate has told him to do and so much more. He just has to bide his time for a little while and all will be his.

 

~*~

 

Richard opens the door to the apartment and kicks off his shoes. Lunch with Misha was excellent and they had a good time. Richard yawns and stretches. Eating good food always made him sleepy afterward. He collapses onto the couch, grinning as Gabriel and Castiel pad out from the kitchen to greet him with purrs and meowed demands for petting.

He obliges them both and turns on the TV as they make themselves comfortable, draped over his lap. After a few moments of peace and quiet, the door bell rings. Richard sighs and nudges the cats off of him and answers the door.

“Hello?” He asks.

There's a man on the other side, dressed in a dark shirt, jacket and slacks, holding a cat carrier.

“Hi, I'm with the vet, Dr. Morgan, and I need to pick up your cats. We got the tests back and there's some concerns, so Dr. Morgan wants to bring them back in for more testing.” The man smiles at him.

“Wouldn't Dr. Morgan just call us and tell us this? He's never sent anyone to our home before.” Richard says, wary about the man. There's something not quite right about him and it makes Richard uneasy.

“He's starting a new system for clients to make it easier on them. We pick up the animals and take them to the office. Much less hassle for you.” The man says smoothly.

Richard frowns. “Can you wait here for a minute?”

The man nods. “Of course.”

Richard closes the door and grabs his cell phone, dialing the number to Dr. Morgans' office. The receptionist, Samantha, answers. “Hello, this is Dr. Morgans' office, how may we help you?”

“Samantha? It's Richard. I need to ask you something. Are you guys starting a pet carry out service where you send someone to our place to pick up the animals and take them to the vet?” Richard asks, worry in his voice.

“What? No. Why?” Samantha says, sounding confused.

“It's nothing. I have to go. Thanks.” He hangs up before Samantha can reply, tossing his phone onto the coffee table.

He goes back to the front door and opens it just a bit, now definitely concerned with who this man is and what he wants.

“You're not from Dr. Morgans' office. I checked. Now who are you and what to you want?” Richard demands.

“Okay, you got me. I'm not from the vet, but I'm still gonna leave with your cats. Jibril belongs with someone who knows his true power and the angel cat must have some sot of holy power too.” The man curls a lip at Richard.

“What are you talking about?” Richard stares at him in confusion.

“You're obviously too stupid to know all the power you have in a cat that can see Death itself, but that's okay. I have more than enough plans for him, so just hand them both over and everything will be just fine.” The man cocks an eyebrow at Richard.

Richard doesn't bother with a reply. The man is clearly insane and needs help. He slams the door in his face and locks every lock on the door from the doorknob to the chain across the edge of the door.

The man pounds on it right after Richard finishes hooking the chain and he flinches back from the door, staring in shock. Who would do something like this over cats?

He hurries back into the living room where the cats are curled on the couch, seeming to glare at the door. Gabriel hisses at it, sensing something is wrong out there. Richard snatches up his phone from the table and goes back over to the door.

“If you don't leave, I'm calling the police!” He shouts through the door.

The man simply continues to hammer his fist down on the wood of the door, screaming about how Jibril and the angel cat will be his and he'll have all the power in the world at his fingertips. Richard warns him again, but he just continues with his insane rantings, so Richard calls the police.

~*~

 

After he had called the police, Richard had called Misha, Mark, Jensen, and Jared. They got to the apartment one right after the other right after the police arrived. Todd, as they now know him to be called, is arrested and Richard is advised to file a restraining order as soon as possible against the man.

Misha agrees and tells Richard they will do it tomorrow morning, take a half day from work to get it done. The police take down all the info they need and leave soon after that, Todd cuffed and sitting in the back of a cruiser.

He's quiet now, but he keeps staring up at the apartment as if he can see the cats inside and it makes Richard shudder in revulsion. He turns away from the window and sits back down on the couch, pressing against Misha's side when Misha wraps an arm around his shoulders.

“You guys gonna be okay?” Jared asks, patting Richard's knee.

“Yeah, I think so. The cops got him, so he's not coming back and we'll go file for the restraining order in the morning.” Misha nods.

“Alright, well, we're gonna go then. Call us if you need anything.” Jensen says, standing up.

Misha and Richard walk them to the door and say their goodbyes while Mark waves from the living room. The cats are piled in his lap and he doesn't want to disturb them.

When Richard and Misha get back to the living room, Mark looks up at them.

“I'll stay the night with you guys.” He offers.

“You don't have to.” Richard shakes his head.

“It's not a problem.” Mark says.

“That would be great, if you're sure.” Misha says, smiling at him.

“I'm sure.” Mark nods.

“Thanks.” Richard nods.

The rest of the afternoon is thankfully uneventful. They spend it watching TV, playing with the cats, and eating dinner.

When it's time to head to bed, Misha brings out some spare sheets and a pillow for Mark to make up the couch with and shakes out the blanket that's draped over the back of the couch.

“Thanks again for staying.” Misha says.

“No problem.” Mark grins, hugging Misha.

They say their good nights and the cats promptly settle on Mark as soon as he finds a comfortable position on the couch.

Misha and Richard slide into bed together, curling into each other. Misha's fingers card through Richard's hair.

I'm glad you're okay, baby.” Misha says softly.

“Hmm, me too. That was so bizarre.” Richard murmurs sleepily.

“It'll never happen again, I promise.” Misha kisses Richard's forehead.

The other man just hums, already mostly asleep. Misha sinks down more firmly into the bed and joins Richard in sleep.

~*~

 

Misha and Richard go up to the court house and file the necessary paperwork for their restraining order. As soon as that's done, they head back to the apartment where Mark is staying until they get back from work.

As Richard changes into his uniform, Misha talks to Mark in the living room.

“Thanks for staying. We really appreciate it.” Misha smiles gratefully.

“Like I said, no problem.” Mark draws another card from the deck, playing solitaire on the coffee table.

Gabriel is watching the game intently, nudging cards here and there occasionally. It amuses Mark to no end.

Richard comes out from the bedroom, kisses Misha on the cheek, waves to Mark, and pets the cats quickly before heading out to get to work before he's late.

Misha tells Mark and the cats goodbye before leaving himself. Mark waves him off and continues playing solitaire on the coffee table, Gabriel watching and Castiel napping beside him.

**One Month Later**

Everything has being going really well. There hasn't been any more news or sightings of Todd and everything is calm and peaceful. Mark has gone back to his own home, but still stops by frequently with Jared and Jensen, usually for dinner and games with the cats.

Gabriel seems to have come to terms about his sixth sense and is a lot happier. Castiel is happy for him and is glad that he's finally in a better place, no longer chasing thoughts about leaving.

Castiel himself is just as content as he ever was to spend long days in the sun from the window in the living room and long nights sleeping at the foot of his humans bed, Gabriel at his side.

Misha and Richard's one year anniversary is coming up and Misha has a plan. He intends to ask Richard to marry him over a romantic candle lit dinner. Champagne, a nice meal, roses; the whole nine yards. Everything has to go off without a hitch.

It does and over dessert, a lovely double layer chocolate cake, Misha gets down on one knee in front of Richard.

“Richard, over the past year, we've had our ups and downs, but we've always come through in the end, together and stronger than ever. I've never loved anyone as much as I love and adore you. Will you marry me?” Misha opens the velvet box and holds it up to Richard.

Tears spring to Richard's eyes and he gets down on the floor with Misha, arms wrapped tight around him.

“Yes, yes, always.” He half sobs into Misha's neck.

Misha grins and hugs Richard tightly then pulls back and kisses him fiercely. “Let's take this to the bedroom, yeah?”

Richard grins back and wipes the rest of his tears away. “Yeah.”

Misha pulls him to his feet and they make their way into the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

**Three Months Later**

The wedding ceremony goes off without a hitch. Misha wears a black tuxedo with a white bowtie and Richard wears a white tuxedo and a black bowtie. Everyone is town shows up, Jared, Jensen, and Mark are the best men. Castiel and Gabriel are the ring bearers. Everything is perfect.

Misha and Richard have the first dance, spinning each other around on the dance floor and giggling like teenagers. It makes everyone smile at them. They're so in love and so happy finally. Soon everyone is joining them out on the dance floor, having the time of their lives, twirling their partner and being twirled themselves.

Castiel and Gabriel have a table to themselves and are nibbling on a piece of cake together. Gabriel is mostly just licking the frosting off because it's the best part according to him. Castiel just licks the bit of frosting off of Gabriel's nose in response and continues eating.

Toasts and speeches are made to the newly weds and there is laughter and tears and everything in between. There's more champagne and cake given out, more dancing to be done. Everyone wears themselves out and as the sun sets, everyone takes a moment to hold their loved one and watch it sink down below the horizon in a splash of orange, pink, and purple.

Castiel nudges Gabriel up from his frosting and they watch it as well. Castiel always loves to watch the sunset, loves the colors it makes. Gabriel loves the way Castiel looks when he watches it. Calm and happy.

Soon it's time to go home and recover from the festivities. Misha picks up Castiel and Richard gets Gabriel as they say their goodbyes to everyone, seeing them off. They finally make it back to their apartment and settle into the couch together, the cats on their laps.

“I can't believe this is real.” Richard says, playing with the silver band around his left ring finger.

Misha reaches out and brings Richard's hand to his lips and kisses it. “I know, but it is.”

“I'm so happy, Misha. I love you so much.” Richard kisses Misha softly.

“I love you too. I couldn't be happier than I am right now.” Misha says after they part.

Gabriel and Castiel hop down from their humans laps and make their way to their favorite place, the window seat. They curl up together, tired out by the day's events.

Gabriel asks Castiel if he's happy. Castiel tells him to not be silly, of course he's happy. He has everything he needs. Loving owners, all the food, water, and treats he could want, and Gabriel himself to love and be loved by. Gabriel seems a little surprised by the last bit, but he purrs in contentment after a moment.

They curl up and sleep finds them easily after that.

Misha and Richard head into the bedroom and strip out of their tuxes.

“Do you want to go away for our honeymoon?” Misha asks, shrugging out of his shirt.

“I don't know. Do you?” Richard steps out of his pants.

“We could. Get Mark or Jensen and Jared to keep the cats for us, go away for a week or two.” Misha suggests.

“Sounds nice. We can plan in the morning.” Richard tugs playfully on Misha's wrist, pulling him down onto the bed with him.

“Oh? And what do you think we should do until then?” Misha smirks down at Richard from where he holds himself up above him, hands framing the sides of Richard's head.

“I think I have a few ideas.” Richard returns the smirk and pulls Misha down into a kiss.

~*~

Gabriel and Castiel are watching the stars, Gabriel pointing out constellations he remembers Jared teaching him on the roof of the nursing home during the night when he would stay late to finish paperwork or something. Castiel is enthralled with the stars. He dutifully repeats them back to Gabriel and it makes Gabriel smile.

Soon the conversation turns to their humans. Castiel says he heard them discussing going away on a honeymoon. Castiel is pretty sure the moon isn't made out of honey and it seems so far away that Richard and Misha can't really be going to the moon, can they?

Gabriel snickers into his paw as he ducks his head. He explains that a honeymoon is when two humans get married and then go on a vacation of sorts with each other to celebrate their wedding. It doesn't involve the actual moon, which is not, in fact, made of honey, but it does involve travel and Gabriel doubts that Misha and Richard will take them when they go.

Castiel asks why they can't go too. Gabriel explains that Misha and Richard will probably just want to spend time with just each other for their honeymoon, but they'll most likely leave themselves with Mark or Jared and Jensen. Castiel finds that acceptable and curls into Gabriel's side, sleepy now from the long hour they spent looking at the stars, though he did enjoy it.

~*~

Misha and Richard plan out their honeymoon and soon it's time for them to leave. Jared and Jensen take them to the airport and Mark meets them there. Castiel and Gabriel are herded into cat carriers, much to Gabriel's displeasure. He makes that very clear with loud yowls as he's put into it and the door is shut and locked. He glares moodily out of the carrier, amber eyes flashing.

Castiel doesn't mind the carrier too much, but the motion of someone walking and carrying him makes him slightly ill, so he closes his eyes and tries to ignore it as best he can. It's better if he can't see the scenery move at such a jostled pace.

The cats are let out at the airport for a moment, so Misha and Richard can say their goodbyes. It's filled with lots of cuddling and licks, pets and purrs, and promises to come home soon and they will have fun with Mark, who's keeping them for Richard and Misha until they get back. The cats are put back in the carriers and given a few treats for being so well behaved.

Richard and Misha embrace their friends and thank them all for everything they've done for them. Their flight is called and they are waved off and assured that everything will be just fine, they don't have to worry about a thing, just relax and enjoy their honeymoon.

Jensen, Jared, Mark and the cats all watch from the window as Misha and Richard's plane takes off. The sky is a brilliant blue, spotted with little wisps of white clouds, a perfectly clear day for flying.

On the plane, Misha and Richard hold each other's hand and watch out their window in awe, looking down at the ground as it gets farther and farther away from them. It's an amazing sight, lifting into the air and watching the ground fall away beneath them.

They look over at each other and grin widely, giddy with the excitement of spending their first ever vacation together and it's their honeymoon no less. Richard leans over and pecks Misha on the lips and Misha squeezes his hand in return. This is what they need.

A time for themselves to just be and be with each other, leaving all the stress behind, all the worry and everything behind and just revel in one another. They grin at each other once more and sit back in their seats, ready to enjoy the rest of the ride.

~*~

As soon as Mark gets to his house, he lets Castiel and Gabriel out of the cat carriers and they promptly jump up on his couch, tucking themselves against each other. Mark chuckles at their antics and puts out water and food for them in their bowls in the kitchen.

He drops down on the couch next to them and turns on the TV. It's peaceful and quiet, exactly what everyone needs after the trip today. Castiel crawls into Mark's lap and Mark absently begins petting him, straight down his back between his wings, just like he likes it. Castiel is soon a purring mass in Mark's lap. Gabriel is pressed against Mark's leg and Mark gives him a good head scratch, just as he likes it.

Castiel is glad everything ended up working out in the end. Gabriel is home and never plans on leaving again. Todd can't bother them ever again, can't try to take Gabriel away from him again, Misha and Richard are happy with each other and them and will be home before he knows it, Mark loves them as much as Misha and Richard do, so they'll be happy here too. Everything is just as good as it could ever be and Castiel is happy.

Misha and Richard are curled up in bed together in their honeymoon suite of the hotel and are thoroughly getting reacquainted with each other's bodies and their love for each other. They are more than happy, they're feeling just perfect with each other. Riding the rising tide of bliss that sweeps them both away together forever.

Even Jared and Jensen are happy, laying in bed together watching a movie. They're happy for Misha and Richard, happy they finally have the life they deserve. Jared yawns and lays his head on Jensen's shoulder, eyes slipping shut. Jensen looks over and grins at him, feeling so in love with the man at his side.

Everyone is happy and where they deserve to be, with each other and their friends. The new day dawns bright and filled with hope for all the coming days. The clouds have finally cleared for them. All of them.


End file.
